Planetology

Studying the bodies of the solar system to understand its history

Our group is interested in the solid bodies of the solar system: small bodies (asteroids), planets (Mars, Earth) and their satellites (Moon).

Our research activities range from the formation of these bodies in the protoplanetary disc 4.5 billion years ago, through the evolution of small bodies (water alteration, thermal metamorphism, internal structure) to recent phenomena (impacts on planetary surfaces: craters and associated ejecta).

We use various tools to read the history of the solar system recorded in meteorites, micrometeorites, planetary surfaces and their impact structures: field geophysics, palaeomagnetism, isotope geochemistry (oxygen isotopes, cosmogenic nuclides), geology, petrography, mineralogy and geochemistry.

These activities are part of the ORIGINES institute, which aims to federate the activities of researchers from different AMU laboratories around interdisciplinary projects. In addition, the Earth and Planets team houses a major collection of meteorites, micrometeorites and impactites (tektites, etc.).